Visualização antecipada das notas novas de fim de ano: qual das 4 principais formas de obter ienes é a mais econômica?

Taiwan dollar depreciation pressure has made exchanging yen a task for many people at the end of the year. As of December 10, 2025, the TWD/JPY exchange rate has reached 4.85, up more than 8% since the beginning of the year. The wave of travel abroad and yen investments has also heated up. But do you know? Just choosing the wrong currency exchange channel can cost you over NT$1,500 in one go.

Don’t rush to the bank; first clarify your needs before acting—only then can you minimize the cost of exchanging new bills.

First, ask yourself three questions

1. When do you need to use yen?
A week before going abroad? Flying tomorrow? Or want to invest gradually? The timeline determines the best channel.

2. How much money to exchange?
Under NT$50,000? Over NT$500,000? The amount affects handling fees and daily limits.

3. Is it for travel or investment?
Purely for consumption can simplify the process; for investment, consider exchange rate fluctuations and subsequent allocation.

4 Practical channels for exchanging yen comparison

1. On-site exchange for new bills——most traditional but most expensive

Bring cash in TWD directly to the bank or airport counter to exchange for new yen bills. Sounds simple, but this is the highest-cost method.

Banks use “cash selling rate” (about 1-2% worse than spot rate), plus fixed handling fees at some banks. For NT$50,000 exchanged, the cost loss is about NT$1,500-2,000.

When is it suitable? If you realize at the airport that you forgot your passport with yen, small amounts (below NT$3,000), or elderly unfamiliar with online operations.

Quick bank rate check

2. Online exchange + counter withdrawal——medium cost, high flexibility

Use bank app or online banking to transfer TWD to a foreign currency account in JPY (enjoying spot selling rate, saving about 1%), then go to branch or foreign currency ATM to withdraw cash.

Advantages: 24-hour operation, can buy in installments to average costs, relatively favorable exchange rate. Disadvantages: withdrawal incurs additional handling fees (interbank NT$5-100), overall loss about NT$500-1,000.

When is it suitable? If you have a foreign currency account, plan to hold yen long-term, or want to observe low exchange rate points to buy in parts.

3. Online currency exchange + airport pickup——best choice for year-end travel

No need for a foreign currency account. Book currency exchange directly on bank websites (Taiwan Bank “Easy Purchase”, Mega Bank offer), specify airport branch and pickup date, then pick up new bills with ID and notification the next day.

Taiwan Bank pays NT$10 fee via Taiwan Pay, with about 0.5% exchange rate advantage, losing NT$300-800. Many airport locations (Taoyuan Airport Taiwan Bank has 14 branches, 2 open 24 hours) make it ideal for pre-trip planning.

When is it suitable? Well-planned trips, confirmed itinerary, want to pick up new bills directly at the airport, amounts between NT$50,000-500,000.

Reminder: Book at least 1-3 days in advance; pickup is limited to bank hours (airport branches usually 08:00-21:00). Once booked, branch changes are not possible.

4. Foreign currency ATM withdrawal——most flexible but limited locations

Use chip-enabled bank card at foreign currency ATMs to withdraw yen cash, open 24/7, cross-bank fee only NT$5 (deducted from TWD account). Fubon Bank foreign currency ATM has a daily limit of NT$150,000, no exchange fee.

Loss: NT$800-1,200, but advantage is time freedom, no business hours restriction. Disadvantage: only about 200 ATMs nationwide, peak times (like airports) often run out of cash, fixed denominations only 1,000/5,000/10,000 yen bills.

When is it suitable? Emergency needs, no time to visit bank, high time requirement, small amounts (below NT$50,000).

Pitfall reminder: Don’t wait until the day of departure to withdraw; during peak times (like holidays at airports), cash may be sold out. Prepare 2-3 days in advance for safety.

My recommended combo: How to make the most of NT$200,000-500,000 budget

If you plan to exchange NT$50,000-200,000, a mixed strategy is recommended:

1. Basic needs (NT$10,000-30,000) → Use online currency exchange for airport pickup, best rate, lowest fee
2. Additional needs or investment → Use foreign currency ATM at low points, diversify risk, withdraw in parts

This way, overall loss can be controlled within NT$500-800, which is 60% cheaper than full on-site exchange.

Is it worthwhile to exchange yen now? How to catch the timing

Short-term market analysis

Bank of Japan Governor Ueda Kazuo recently signaled a hawkish stance, market expects a rate hike to 0.75% at the December 19 meeting (30-year high), Japanese bond yields hit 17-year high of 1.93%. This favors short-term yen appreciation, but also suggests global arbitrage may unwind, causing 2-5% short-term volatility.

USD/JPY has fallen from the high of 160 at the start of the year to around 154.58, may test 155 short-term, but medium-long term forecast below 150.

Investment advice: staggered entries, don’t buy all at once

Although yen is one of the three major safe-haven currencies (USD, CHF, JPY), it still has two-way volatility risk. Recommendations:

• Travel budget: buy in installments 2-3 weeks in advance, average cost
• Investment budget: buy 1-2 times monthly, use dollar-cost averaging to lower costs
• Avoid all-in purchase; keep some flexibility for potential dips back below 155

After exchanging for new bills—how to avoid money lying idle

After exchanging yen, if not used immediately, make it work:

Yen fixed deposit (conservative)
Minimum NT$10,000, annual interest 1.5-1.8%, E.SUN Bank and Taiwan Bank offer online foreign currency accounts. Suitable for those not needing within six months, seeking stable growth.

Yen insurance policy (medium-term allocation)
Cathay, Fubon life’s foreign currency savings insurance, guaranteed interest rate 2-3%, lock-in 3-5 years for returns.

Yen ETFs (growth-oriented)
Yuanta 00675U tracks yen index, annual management fee 0.4%, can buy fractional shares via broker app, diversify risk.

Yen forex trading (short-term trading)
USD/JPY or EUR/JPY on forex platforms, multi-directional, 24-hour market, suitable for short-term swings. Note: high leverage trading is risky, requires experience.

Quick FAQ

Q: How much is the difference between cash rate and spot rate?
Cash rate is the bank’s buy/sell rate for physical cash, usually 2-3% worse than spot rate. Spot rate is the FX market’s T+2 settlement price, close to international market price, more favorable. In short: use cash rate for cash, spot rate for transfers.

Q: How much yen can NT$10,000 buy?
At Taiwan Bank’s December 10 cash selling rate of 4.85, NT$10,000 ≈ 48,500 yen. Using spot rate 4.87, about 48,700 yen, difference of 200 yen (~NT$40). Actual amount depends on daily rate.

Q: What documents are needed for on-site exchange?
Taiwanese: ID + passport. Foreigners: passport + residence permit. Companies: business registration. Pre-booked: bring transaction notification. Under 20: parent’s consent. Large amounts (>NT$100,000) may require source declaration.

Q: What is the foreign currency ATM withdrawal limit?
By 2025 new rules, limits vary by bank. CTBC, Taishin: NT$120,000-150,000 equivalent; E.SUN: NT$50,000. Cross-bank cards depend on issuing bank. Note: many banks now lower third-tier digital account limits to NT$100,000/day; consider using your own bank card or splitting withdrawals.

Conclusion

Year-end exchange rate volatility and busy travel season call for early planning. Yen is no longer just pocket money for travel but also an asset class for hedging and small investments.

Follow the core principles of “staggered exchange + don’t leave money idle,” combine online exchange with foreign currency ATMs to save costs and retain flexibility. After getting yen, choose fixed deposit, ETF, or trading based on your funds’ timeline, to truly benefit from exchange gains and interest.

Travel smart, and add a layer of protection during global turbulence—this is the ultimate goal of smart currency exchange.